Dhaka, May 9 -- The initial phase of the upazila parishad elections concluded amidst reports of low voter turnout and irregularities across polling centers nationwide.

Eyewitnesses and observers noted an unexpectedly low presence of voters, a sentiment echoed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal. The CEC reported that voter turnout during the first phase ranged between 30 to 40 percent, attributing the decrease to inclement weather and ongoing agricultural activities.

"The actual figures will be disclosed later. Due to rain and ongoing harvesting, voters were hesitant to visit polling centers," CEC Kazi Habibul Awal remarked during a media interaction at Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, the capital's locality, on Wednesda...